Sven Bogel from Augsburg, Germany did two semesters as an Exchange student at AUBG. Sven just graduated from The University of Augsburg with a bachelor’s degree in Business administration and is going to pursue his master’s degree in the same university.
Sven always wanted to go on an Erasmus exchange but he was not sure about the place. AUBG seemed attractive to him because of the variety of classes taught in English and the small community which could help him integrate better. The German student ended up spending the Fall 2018 and the Fall 2019 semesters at AUBG. “During my first exchange I liked it so much that I applied for the second one,” he said. He was not able to spend the whole year in AUBG but he applied for the second time and got accepted. Sven liked the fact that most of the students live on campus and have a chance to meet each other on daily basis. “It was amazing to meet so many people from different cultures and backgrounds”. The recruitment parties and the constant events made life in AUBG super dynamic and exciting in his eyes. The best week for him was the orientation week since it was filled with so many different events, exciting adventures, and fun gatherings.
When he first came to Bulgaria he had a cultural shock because of how different Bulgaria was from Germany, but says that the country now “feels like a second home.” Sven liked Blagoevgrad mainly because it was small and easy to explore. Apart from Blagoevgrad, he has visited Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, and Bansko. “I especially loved Bansko because it is so different from any other city in Bulgaria”. Sven said he appreciated the nature of Bulgaria and places like the Seven Rila Lakes or Rila Monastery.
The most valuable thing for Sven was becoming friends with international students and learning about different cultural backgrounds.” I became very open-minded and that is very important for me”. Staying abroad for a long period helped him view many things from a different angle.
Even though he cannot go on Erasmus exchange for the third time, Sven keeps coming back to AUBG for a week or two. Currently, due to the pandemic, the situation is unpredictable but he hopes to visit AUBG again anytime soon. He cannot wait to see all of his friends, hang out with them, and explore more of Bulgaria.
The piece of advice that Sven has for Erasmus exchange students may be simple but it is important. “I would just tell them to enjoy their time as much as possible,” he said. “It is essential to meet as many people as possible, go to events, be social and have fun”. Of course, studies are crucial but in his view, it is also about the whole exchange experience, which would not be complete without parties, hangouts, travels, and the other exciting things that AUBG has to offer.
